Platen for type-writing machines.



Nu; @57,I2I. Patented Sept. 4, |900.

C. F. LAGANKE.

PLATEN FUR TYPE WRITING MACHINES. (Application led Sept. 5, 1899.) (No Nudel.)

2 Sheets-Sheet l.

N o 6 5 7 a 2 A Y P a t e n t e a s e p t 4 9 o o. E.

TTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT (A lication le CHARLES FREDERICK LAGANKE, OF ATHENS, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR TO TI'IE FISHER TYPEWRITER COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

PLATEN FOR TYPE-WRITING MACHINES.

SPECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent-No. 657,121, dated September 4, 1900. Application filed September 5, 1899. Serial No. 729,506. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it 71mg/ conceive:

Beit known that I, CHARLES FREDERICK LA- GANKE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Athens, in the county of McMinn and State of Tennessee, have invented a new and useful Platen for Type-lVriting Machines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to platens for use in connection with that class of type-writing machines which print upon a sheet or pagein a flat condition; and it has for its object to provide a new and useful platen of this character embodying lightness of weight with rigidity, strength, and cheapness and so constructed as not only to afford a smooth iiat writing-surface, but at the same time providing means for deadening the sound to a minimum.

Heretofore in the construction of platens for use with book and similar type-writing machines such platens have been usually made from a flat met-al plate having a rubbercovered face to provide the proper writingsurface; but this construction has been eX- pensive besides being too heavy and causing too much noise from the stroke of the keys andalsolackingrigidityandstrength. These objections to the old construction of platen are entirely overcome by the present invention, which not only provides a platen of minimumv lightness, but at the same time one cheaper to manufacture and so constructed as to have exceptional strength and to deaden the sound caused by the stroke of the keys.

With these and other objects in view,which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction,combination, and arrangements of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated, and claimed.

Theinvention primarily relates to the body portion of the platen, and this body portion may be utilized in a variety of ways in connection with the writing-surface without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention 5 but in order to clearly set forth the fundamental features of the invention a few of the preferred embodiments thereof are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bodyplate of the platen embodying one form of the invention. Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional View of the construction shown in Fig. l. Fig. 3 isa cross-sectional View of a portion of the platen, showing one form in which the writing-surface material is filled directly into the corrugations and over the ridges at the upper side of the plate. Fig. a is a similar view showing a modification in whicha separate filling is used for the depressions at the upper side of the plate. Fig. 5 is a similar view in which the writing-surface material is applied to the ridges at one side of the plate, leaving the depressions unfilled or vacant. Fig. 6 is a similar view showing another modification, in which the depressions at both sides ofthe plate are filled in. Fig. 7is a plan View of the bodyplate of the platen embodying a modified arrangement of the crimps or corrugations. Fig. 8 is a similar view showing another modification, in which the body-plate of the platen is provided with circular concentric crimps or corrugations. Fig. 9 is a detail cross-sectional view showing one means of reinforcing or bracing the body-plate of the platen in addition to the reinforcement thereof by the crimps or corrugations. Fig. l() is a detail cross-sectional view showing another method of reinforcing or strengthening the bodyplate. Fig. 1l is a view similar to Fig. l0, showing braces applied to both sides of the body-plate.

Like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several figures of the drawings.

The platen forming the subject-matter of the present application is necessarily capable of general application to all type-writing machines of the class which print upon the page or sheet in a flat condition, but is in the nature of a distinct improvement upon the construction of platen heretofore employed with the Fisher type-writing machine,such platens and their use being disclosed, for example, in the patent to R. J. Fisher, No. 573,S6S, issued December 29, 1896, and reissue Patent No. 11,707, of January 3, 1899.

In carrying out the present invention the body of the platen is preferably constructed of a flat metallic plate 1, of sheet-steel or equivalent metal and of the usual rectangu- IOD lar form. kTo `attain the objects sought for by the invention, anes-sential feature thereof 1 is to provide this flat plate with raised portions and depressions, which necessarily impart strength and rigidity to the structure,

While the depressions also serve to receive I suitable material to assist in deadening the sound, and which material may form the Writing-surface, as hereinafter explained. The

provision of the body-plate l of the'platen with raised portions and depressions may be secured in a variety of Ways and by any suitj yable means; but a practical way of attaining i the desired result is to construct the plate With a series of crimps or corrugations 2.

These crimps or corrugations 2 may be arpractical purposes.

crimps or corrugations run or are disposed with relation to the length and Width of the plate, as the said crimps or corrugations may run diagonally or obliquely or be formed in dlamond, square, circular, or any shape,

ings. These dierent forms of the crimped or corrugated plate emphasize the wide range of modification that may be resorted to in providing the body-plate of the platen with raised and depressed portions; but it will be understood that in all modifica-tions the construction provides a plate of exceptional rigidity and strength throughout. The crimped or corrugated plate is preferable Ain the practical construction of the article, inasmuch as the crimps or corrugations strengthen and stiften the plate so it is practically impossible for it --to lose its shape or weaken at any point under the vibrations due to the stroke of the keys or the Weight of the machine.

In the crimped or corrugated construction, as Well asIin all forms of the invention, the body-plate l may be utilized in a variety of Ways with the fiat Writing-surfacewhich receives the impact of the type, although in all instances the material forming the Writing-surface must present a smooth flat face throughout in order to insure proper type impressions.

In the form shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings the crimps or corrugations at the lower side of the body-plate are left entirely exposed to form a rest surface or face for the platen, While the crimps or corrugations at the upper side of said plate are entirely covered by the Writing-surface material 3,Which consists of molded rubberor any other material suitable for the purpose. This Writingsurface material 3 in the construction re ferred to is filled completely Within the depressions at the upper side of the body-plate, and the surplus portion thereof projects above the piane of and covers the ridges `at the up per side of the plate in order to present a perfectly smooth and tiat Writing-surface 4.

l In some forms of the invention it may not be desirable to fill the writingsurface material into the depressions of the crimped plate, as an effective and-durable platen may be produced by fastening or molding the rubber or other equivalent writing-surface sheet 5 to the ridges at the upper side of the plate and filling in the depressions or cavities at the under side of the sheet 5 with a separate filling 6, of ground cork, Wood fiber, paper-pulp, rubber, or other plastic material. This construction would be specially advantageous in not onlyproviding a firm and durable'Writing-surface, but also in deadening the .sound caused by the stroke of the keys.

As shown in Fig. 5 of the drawings, the separate lling 6 may be omitted and the Writing-surface sheet 5 alone attached to the upper side ot' the crimped plate, While in Fig. 6 of the drawings is shown a modification in which the crimped or corrugated plate is entirely covered or iilled at both sides thereof. Y

Ordinarily in practice the crimps or corrugations will be found sufficient to impart to the plate the qualities herein referred to;

' but should it be found necessary to further as suggested by Figs. 7 and 8 cf the drawreinforce or strengthen the structure suitable braces maybe resorted to, as shown, for instance, in Figs. 9 and 10 of the drawings. One form of reinforcing the platen is shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings, in which the braces 10 are in the form of rods or .wires piercing the crimps or corrugations transversely thereof and embedded in the material which may be filled into the depressions or valleys of the plate. Another means of reinforcing or strengthening the platen is shown in Fig. 10, in which the braces 10 may be in the form of wires, rods, Washers, or plates secured to one face of the body-plate orto both faces thereof, as shown in Fig. ll. In these several moditications, however, (shown in Figs. 9, 10, and 11,) the essential feature is to provide for bracing or reinforcing the body-plate in a direction opposite to the direction in which it is already reinforced by the undulating formation of the plate or, in other Words, by the crimps or corrugations thereof.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the platen as an entirety, made up of the body-plate and the Writing-surface applied thereto, is a rigid structure, which under normal conditions will always retain its shape and form, so that it presents a smooth flat Writing-surface. In other Words, the platen structure as an entirety is unpliant or stiff in the sense of resisting change of form or incapable of being bent, folded, or rolled into other shapes, and in this connection it will be understood that even though under an abnormal strain or Weight the platen might flex to some degree, still the same would, when relieved of such abnormal strain or Weight, resumeits precise shape and form,

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so as not to disturb the continuity of the plane of the smooth flat writing-surface thereof. It should also be noted that in dening Ithe platen structure as rigid I use this term in its ordinary meaning of resisting change of form and being unpliant, as contradistinguished from `paper-pulp and like fabrics, which are capable of being rolled,

bent, or twisted into any desired shape or configuration, even though such fabrics might possess more or less stiffness.

While the bod y-plate of the platen has been described as being preferably constructed of sheet-steel or equivalent metal, from which it may be struck up in the usual way, still I Will have it understood that said body-plate of the 4platen may be formed of Wood fiber, paper-pulp, or similar material compressed to the proper density. Also it will be understood that in using metal the body of the platen need not necessarily be struck up from sheet metal, but may be cast or compressed with the proper surfaces Without departing from the fundamental features of the invention. I will therefore have it understood that various changes in the form, size, shape, maferial, proportion, and minor details of construction as comprehended Within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A rigid platen for type-Writing machines, consisting of a body-plate having raised portions and depressions, and a separate Writing-surface applied to said body-plate.

2. A rigid platen consisting of a body-plate provided with raised portions and depressions, and sound-deadening material applied to the body-plate and filling the depressions thereof.

8. A rigid platen consisting of a crimped body, and a separate Writing-surface applied to said body.

1l. A rigid platen consisting of a continuously-crimped body, and a separate Writingsurface applied thereto.

5. A rigid platen consisting of a body uniformly crimped or corrugated, and a separate Writing-surface applied to said body.

6. A rigid platen consisting of a body-plate having regularly-alternating rounded ridges and depressions, and a separate writing-sur face applied to said body.

'7. A rigid platen having a crimped body and a dat Writing-surface.

8. A rigid platen having a body crimped or corrugated throughout, and a fiat writingsurface.

9. A rigid platen having a body crilnped or corrugated throughout, and a separate writing-surface fastened to one side of said body.

10. A rigid platen consisting of a body crimped or corrugated throughout, and a Writing-surface sheet attached to the ridges at one side of the plate.

1l. lA rigid platen consisting of a body crimped or corrugated throughout, a Writingsurface sheet attached to the ridges at one side of the body, and a separate iilling for the depressions beneath said Writing-surface sheet.

12. A rigid platen consisting' of a body-plate having raised portions and depressions, and auxiliary braces for reinforcing said plate.

13. A rigid platen consisting of a crimped or corrugated body plate, and auxiliary braces for reinforcing said plate in the direction contrary to the reinforcement by the crimps or corrugations.

14. A rigid platen consisting of a bodyplate having raised portions and depressions, a fiat Writing-surface applied to the bodyplate, and auxiliary braces for reinforcing the plate in the direction contrary to the reinforcement by the raised portions and depressions.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES FREDERICK LAGANKE. 

